January. l'ortune 's generally attended with corroborating events, other circum-
C —,— > fiances intervened to Softer and indulge the ambition of Pomurrej,. At
this time Whyeudooti the king o f Tia-rabou died, leaving only a. very-diftant
relation to affume hjs name and government; vhowa.s by Pöiïiiirrey and
his adherents obliged to'relinquish all pretenftons to, fuch honours; and
with the people o f Tiarabou to acknowledge Pomurrey’s youngeft fon as
their chief, under the fupreme authority o f his eldeft fon Otoo ; which on
their aflentiug to, the youth aifumed the name of Whyeadooa as a neceflary
appendage to the government. B y this acquifition it Ihould appear, they
have more effectually eftablilhed a firm and lafting peace amongft them-
felves than has been enjoyed for a long feries of years.; and to infhre
this ineftimable blefling to their dominions, the royal brothers have fo
difpofed themfelves as completely to watch over and protect the two
young princes during their minority.
Urripiah, the next brother to Pomurrey, having acquired the reputation
of a great warrior, has taken up his refidence on the" borders of
Tiarabou, to watch the conduff of thole people in their allegiance to
his nephew Whyeadooa; and on the leaft appearance o f difaffeHion or
revolt, to be at hand for purfuing fuch meafures as may be required
to bring them back to their obedience. Whytooa, the next brother, re-
fides for the like reafon at Oparre, near the young monarch ; and Pomurrey
with his wives has retired to Morea, where, the inhabitants are,
in all relpefts, perfeftly reconciled; firmly attached to his intereft; and
ready to afford him and his children every fupport and afliftance they
may require. From the relative fituation o f this ifland with Otaheite,
there is little probability that Pomurrey could long remain ignorant of
any diffentions that might take place, or that he would be prevented
affording fuch fuccour. as the nature o f the occafion might demand.
There is yet a fourth brother whofe infignificance has hitherto precluded
his name, which is Tapahoo, from appearing in any of our
tranfaftions with thefe worthy people. Although, in the poffeflion of
a very confiderable property, Tapahoo feems little regarded by his family,
and lefs elleemed by his people. This want of refpeft is greatly, and
poflibly wholly, to be attributed to a natural imbecillity of mind; as, to
all
all appearance, he is a young man of an exceedingly weak and trifling
eharat&er.. '-----<----
On the late deceafe of Mahow, his daughter by Pomurreys filler fuc-
ceeded to the fo.vereignty of Morea, under the fupreme authority of her
coufin Otoo. T o this young princefs Pomurrey became regent, and in
courfe, the inhabitants of Morea were intirely at his command. In
confeq.uence of Pomurrey’s connexion with Mahow’s family, his fon Otoo
in right of his mother was acknowledged as the fupreme fovereign of
Huaheine; and Matuarro the king of that ifland, had confented to the
Superiority of Otoo over- him, as “ Aree Maro Eoora ;” but that he
Matuarro was “ Aree de Hoi.”
Omai having died, without children, the houfe which Captain Cook
had built for him, the lands that were purchafed, and the horfe which
was ftill alive; together with fuch European commodities as remained-at
his death, all defcended to Matuarro, as king of the ifland ; and when
his majefty is at home, Omai’s houfe is his conftant refidence. From
Matuarro we learned, that Omai was much refpefted, and that he frequently
afforded great entertainment to him, and the other chiefs, with
the accounts of his travels, and in defcribing the various- countries, objects,
&c. that had fallen under his obfervation; and that he died uni-
verfallv regretted and lamented. His death, as well as that of the two
New Zealand boys left with him by Captain Cook, was occafioned by a
diforder that is attended by a large fwelling in the throat, of which very
few recover, but die a flow lingering death. During the latter part of
our flay feveral perfons were pointed out who feemed much afflifted with
this fatal malady, particularly thofe belonging to Tiarabou, who faid the
difeafe had been imported by a Spanilh veffel which had anchored near
the fouth part of Otaheite.
Otoo, in right of his grandmother by his father’s fide, on the death of
Mowree will claim the fovereignty of Ulietea and Otaha. Mowree, who
is brother to Pomurrey’s mother, is an Ereeoe of an advanced age. He
feemed extremely fond of Otoo, and proud of his fucceeding him in the
government of thofe iflands; faying, that, at prefent, there were two
Sovereigns, that “ Maw ta Tarta,” but when he Ihould die then there
would